Just the other day, I was talking with a friend of mine about my upcoming 42-day odyssey to Thailand and Laos. When I told him about the new lightweight laptop computer and all the electronic gear that I was planning to carry with me on the trip, he got very alarmed. It seems that he was concerned that I might either get ripped off or lose some of my valuable electronic equipment. To get some idea of the whole gamut of things that I will be lugging around with me on this trip, see Carry-on madness. I told him I wasn’t too concerned about losing some of the larger items, as they are relatively easy to keep track of. It is the smaller stuff that always gives me problems when traveling. Somehow that seems contrary to the famous saying, ‘Don’t sweat the small stuff”. Please let it be known that as a security precaution, I purchased a special lock cable for the laptop

I admit that I have a tendency to be a little but unorganized (some people may go so far as calling me scatterbrained) and from time to time I have misplaced things temporarily only to find them later on. Several years ago, while flying to Cancun, Mexico, I accidentally left my prescription glasses behind on my seat. I didn’t realize this until I got off the plane and I hurriedly checked with airline officials to see if they could find my glasses on the plane. No such luck! All was not lost though as I had my prescription sunglasses to fall back on. I must have looked like a very shady character as I was forced to wear my prescription sunglasses at night in order to see but WTF. Carrying two pair of prescription glasses on a trip (regular and sunglasses) can be a real hassle, I have simplified things a bit this year, as I am now wearing only prescription glasses for distance along with clip-on sunglasses for the outdoors. Should make things a lot easier.

Another ‘mickey mouse mishap” almost took place when I was in Thailand last November. I chartered a taxi to take a lady friend and myself from Kanchanaburi to the Bangkok Airport, a good 2-½ hour ride for a local flight on Thai Airways to Chiang Mai. As the taxi driver took the wrong route to get to the airport, he got me there on the late side. I was really up against the clock ‘so to speak” to catch my flight. After sprinting inside the airport terminal with all my baggage accompanied by my friend (who made a detour to the bathroom), I realized that I left my tripod in the trunk of the taxi. Whipping out my cell phone, I called my lady friend who was still in the bathroom and had her retrieve my tripod. That was a close call!

In order to keep track of all the electronic accessories and miscellaneous personal items, I have decided to carry with me a personalized Travel Packing List that I will type up before I leave home. When I change hotels, the travel-packing list will come in very handy as I will be able check everything off the list and make sure I don’t leave anything behind. Except a nice healthy tip for the maid of course!

In November 2003 while I was researching botanical gardens in Northern Thailand, one of the venues I visited was the beautiful Bhubing Palace and Gardens, the royal family’s summer home located near Chiang Mai. Meandering thru the immense estate, I happened to notice an unusual looking vine with brilliant ‘flame-like” tube shaped orange flowers growing with abandon as it climbed the chain link fence that enclosed the reservoir. Looking through the color photographs of my flower bible - Thailand Flowering Plants by Patrick McMakin, I could not find a match. Returning to the states, I approached a number of horticultural enthusiasts. Showing them my color photographs, I asked if they could identify this mystery vine with the brilliant orange-red flowers. Unfortunately, nobody was able to make a proper identification.

I came across this vine again while touring Costa Rica in February 2005; walking thru the lovely gardens of the Bougainvillea Hotel located just outside of San Jose, I encountered ‘the mystery vine” climbing the fence in the back of the gardens growing side by side with the Lollypop plant. Running into the hotel with a couple of the blossoms in hand, I asked the young lady in the gift shop and some of the people who worked at the front desk if they knew the name of this vine. At last, I think it was the young lady in the gift shop who told me, that in Costa Rica, they called this vine Pirotecnia which in English means Fireworks but she didn’t have a clue what the botanical name was. Armed with the local name of this vine, I was one step closer to making a proper identification, but my hunt for the botanical name on the Internet eluded me.

Well, just the other day, I was looking at Blossoms of Northern Thailand and lo and behold, I found some images of this mystery vine along with a description of the plant and it’s botanical name. Mystery was solved - the vine is commonly known as Flame Vine, botanical name Pyrostegia venusta; a member of the Begonia family (Bignoniaceae), Flame Vine is native to Southern Brazil and Paraguay and it is considered to be a very aggressive and prolific grower.

I have a confession to make - When I’m traveling abroad I do not travel particularly light. I’m not a clotheshorse per se, but I admit to packing lots of T-shirts, running shorts and white socks because I am a runner, and I also enjoy working out in the gym and swimming as well. As a result, my mound of soiled clothes tend to accumulate real fast. Even if you’re not a physical fitness enthusiast like myself, when you’re traveling in tropical locales like Thailand and Costa Rica, even your regular clothes and wardrobe will get soiled real fast because of the heat and humidity. Personally, I make it a habit to make a trip to the local laundry shop to have all my dirty clothes cleaned, every 3-4 days.

Now when it comes to personal accessories, reading materials and electronic goods, that’s when I really act like a madman. In particular, I carry a lot of electronic goods with me - two digital cameras with 4-5 media cards, a lightweight tripod, an I-pod, a mini sound system to play all my music (gotta have my music with me), a portable CD burner to transfer all my digital images to CD discs (and free up my all media cards), not to mention adaptors, electrical converters, power cords, a battery charger and spare batteries as well as 1-2 cell phones. There is a reason for this lunacy, believe me! Just recently I purchased a lightweight laptop - 14.1 inch screen and weighing in at a hefty 5.3 pounds w/ cordless mini mouse - that I will use to manage my business affairs and blog journal when I’m on the road in such exotic places like Thailand and Laos. I will try to pack all these electronic gadgets (less the cameras which I will sling over my shoulders), plus some trashy paperback novels into my sporty new backpack. My idea is that my backpack will be my primary carry-on bag. Of course, I will try to sneak a smaller carry-on bag as well, packed with some miscellaneous stuff including a small porcelain teapot. Got to boil some green tea every day when I’m on the road! And of course, let’s not forget my supply of vitamins and nutritional supplements (which I put in plastic sealed bags) and a small bag of oatmeal plus two cartons of soymilk.

I know what you’re thinking, but there is a logical reason for this madness (redundant). Finally, I will try to get away with carrying a small briefcase (for business) and last but not certainly not least, I wear a multi-pocketed fanny bag around my waist which I use to carry all my monies (cash, travelers checks and two credit cards) in addition to my passport. Clever huh? EVA Airlines, the carrier that I’m flying on my next journey to Thailand and Southeast Asia ten days from now, has a limit of one carry-on bag per passenger not to exceed 15 pounds. Is Hanumann worried about these restrictions on carry-on bags?

Bah! I will get away with it, as Hanumann has special clout with the powers that be.

In Thailand, there is a special reverence for flowers and trees. I believe that ‘this love affair” is deeply imbedded in the unique culture of this Buddhist country. Certain flowers and trees have are believed to have special magical or spiritual powers. In addition, flowers are used in various rituals as well as religious and traditional ceremonies. In particular, the Crown of Thorns ‘Poysean”, the Lotus Flower (the flower of the Buddha) and Lantom (Frangipani sp) are believed to have some special powers. In addition there are nine trees in Thailand, which are believed to very auspicious. Walking around in Bangkok and especially in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, you will see many vendors of cut flowers and exotic floral arrangements on street corners and in the many marketplaces, such as the famous JJ market in Bangkok and in Chiang Mai’s popular day market.

In addition, there are a number of flower festivals in Thailand which are quite popular with both the Thai people and visiting foreigners. In the central provinces of Saraburi and Lopburi , a Sunflower Festival is held during the months of November and December to celebrate the bloom of the giant sunflower (Helianthus Annus). This gigantic yellow wildflower plays a very important role in the economic well-being of the local communities where it is cultivated. During the festival, there are traditionally many activities including special performances, exhibitions, cock fighting and other contests. In addition, visitors can shop for many sunflower products in some of the local stores - including sunflower bread, sunflower cake and cookies, sunflower oil, sunflower massage oil and sunflower seeds etc.

In the northeastern province of Chaiyaphum, there is the Siam Tulip Festival which takes place during the early part of the rainy season from June -August. During these months, the Siam Tulip (Curcuma alismatifolia) with its beautiful pinkish-purple flowers has a very spectacular bloom. Locally known as “Dok Krachiao”, the Siam Tulip is not actually a tulip but a member of the ginger family. Unlike the Giant sunflower (Helianthus Annus) or the Bua Tong Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia), the Siam Tulip is native to Thailand. The Siam Tulip is a very popular cut flower domestically as well as a popular export especially to Holland and Japan.

During the months of November and December, the Bua Tong Sunflower Festival is celebrated in the northwestern province of Mae Hong Son. The Bua Tong Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) is native to Mexico and Central America and was introduced to Northern Thailand sometime after World War 2, where it established itself prominently in several different locales in the mountains of Mae Hong Son province. I have been to the sunflower fields of Mae Hong Son, and the hillsides of gold framed by the rugged mountains of the region on a partly cloudy day was absolutely spectacular and is something I’ll never forget. While I was there, I contributed to the local economy by buying a very colorful sunflower hat as well as some sunflower cookies and seeds. Yum Yum…

And in the northern city of Chiang Mai, a three-day Flower Festival is held during the first weekend in February. This annual event occurs during the period when many of the flowers of Chiang Mai province are in full bloom. The festivities include floral floats and colorful parades in the downtown area, traditional dancing shows and a beauty contest. People from all over Thailand and as well as tourists from around the world flock to Chiang Mai for this floral extravaganza. This is a can’t miss event for flower lovers!

If you’re interested in traveling to Thailand to experience any one these floral festivals, Calypso Island Tours can make some very special travel arrangements for you. At Calypso Island Tours, we specialize in botanical adventures and nature tours.

While walking thru La Paz Waterfall Gardens in the mountains just outside of San Jose, Costa Rica, I came across a colony of Spiral Ginger (Costus Pulverulentus). Native to Mexico, Central America and W. South America, spiral ginger is a very showy plant with iridescent floral bracts that range in color from bright red to orange-yellow to white. Notice the similiarity to another Costus species - Crepe Ginger (Costus Speciosus).

Money does matter, especially when you’re trying to maximize your spending power when traveling overseas. In Money Matters (Parts 1 and 2), I discussed the pros and cons of using traveler’s checks vs cash vs ATM cards. The only factor I left out of the equation was credit cards. To keep it simple stupid, I have just one thing to say about credit cards - In general, you’ll be a lot better off leaving your credit cards at home. Why do I say that? All credit card companies (with the exception of one) will assess a 3% transaction fee based on the current rate of exchange. When you return home, if you look at your monthly statement carefully, you will see the 3% fee. In addition, some gift shops, hotels and other merchants will also assess 3-5% extra if you settle your bills by credit card. I know some people will make the argument that using credit cards overseas is a lot more convenient than running back and forth to either the bank or currency exchange bureau to cash in traveler checks (or cash) or to the nearest ATM machine to buy local currency. Given the 3% transaction fee, I ask why pay extra monies? In addition by using your credit card to make all purchases, you also are risking the possibility (however small it is) of credit card fraud, if someone swipes your number. The only credit cards that do not assess a 3% transaction fee are those that are issued by Capitol One. When I travel nowadays, the only credit card that I carry is Capital One and I only use it to make purchases under very special circumstances. As an example, I’m inclined to use my Capital One card to pay for a car rental; the advantage is that most credit card companies will automatically provide you with insurance coverage on car rentals.

Believe me, you’ll get a lot bigger bang for your hard earned vacation dollar and you’ll be a lot better off if you to buy the local currency with either cash, traveler’s checks or an ATM card. Why incur unnecessary expenses by using your credit card?

Enough said on this topic, time to move on to more fun things like my upcoming trip in November to Thailand and Laos.

I first encountered Crepe Ginger (Costus speciosus), a very showy member of the ginger family, while walking through Welchman Hall Gulley, a popular nature reserve in Barbados. On both sides of the nature trail, there were colonies of this very unusual looking ginger with crinkled white flowers protruding out of cone shaped red bracts. The Crepe Ginger, native of Southeast Asia and the Malay Peninsula, is widespread throughout the tropics. In particular, this ginger is very abundant and is one of the favorite ornamentals in Hawaii. Also commonly known as Spiral Ginger.

Money really does matter! When you’re traveling abroad, you really want to maximize your spending power as well as protecting your hard earned for cash from potential loss. Carrying your entire vacation bankroll exclusively in cash, can be very risky proposition, because if you some lose your monies by sheer negligence or by virtue of theft, you’ll be one unhappy and penniless camper. That’s why the smart traveler looks for other alternatives than cash.

As discussed in Money Matters (Part 1), most travelers prefer to carry traveler’s checks as it offers some degree of protection if for some reason you lose them or the TC’s get stolen. I’ve heard of mixed reviews from travelers who have used traveler’s checks; sometimes it’s a real hassle getting reimbursed in an expedient manner by the issuing company.

I called up American Express, Traveler’s Checks division today to ask a very pointed question about their reimbursement policy - the rep. insisted that so long as proper protocol was followed - the purchaser must remember to sign the bottom of all the TC’s in advance, keep the TC receipts separate from the checks and maintain a record of traveler’s check usage - American Express would guarantee reimbursement within 24 hours of the loss. That seems to be pretty fair. Some other important issues with traveler’s checks need to be discussed before we move on to the alternatives. What are the other pros and cons? Depending on your bank and the type of account you have, there may be a 1-1.5% service fee for buying traveler’s checks. At B of A, if you have a prima account there is no charge for buying traveler’s checks. Let’s say, you purchase 3000USD in traveler’s checks; if the bank assesses a 1.5% service fee you will have to pay $45USD. Ouch! That $45-50 dollars could buy a nice dinner for two at a first class restaurant in Bangkok. In addition, while travelers checks will get you a slightly better exchange in foreign currency than cash, the foreign banks and currency exchange bureaus assess a government stamp tax, so overall TC’s will get you slightly less than cash. Bummer…

Instead of traveler’s checks, many savvy travelers nowadays are using their debit card to withdraw monies (in the local currency) from ATM machines on a per need basis. Most bank issued debit cards belong to the Star, Plus or Cirrus network. If it is a Visa or Master Card, you shouldn’t have a problem, just look at the back of the card and make sure it is part of the aforementioned networks. Using the ATM machines seems like a more convenient way exchanging your monies for foreign currency, as the ATMs are open 24/7 while the currency exchange bureaus (for cashing traveler’s checks) have more limited hours. According to what I read on the internet, many travelers report that they get a far better deal by withdrawing monies from an ATM than traveler’s checks, taking into account the exchange rates and the costs involved .

I hate to burst anybody’s bubble, but ATM cards may not get you more for your money. I have done some extensive research on this matter in the last two days. Here’s what I have found out - The actual exchange rate depends on which bank your debit card is associated with. As an example in the USA, there is Citibank, B of A, Washington Mutual and Wells Fargo among the more prominent financial institutions. Other variables include transaction fees and service fees assessed by the issuing bank (which is debited against your account) and any transaction fee assessed by the local bank. So bottom line, there are some expenses to take into account when using your debit card to withdraw monies from ATMS

To give you a concrete example, one American Dollar will currently buy 37.50 baht in Thailand. I checked with several banks in California that I have accounts with and here is how they stack up as far as using their debit cards to withdraw monies from a Bank ATM in Thailand

Wash Mutual ….. 33.69 …… $3.00 Transaction fee
Citibank ….. 36.15 ……. 1.5% service fee
Wells Fargo ….. 37.50 ….. $5.00 Transaction fee (max withdrawal per day 310.00)
B of A ….. 34.00 ……. $5.00 Transaction fee and 3% service fee

As you can see, if you’re using your B of A or Washington Mutual debit card, you’ re pissing away a lot of money. Best deal of the bunch is Wells Fargo where you’re getting the correct exchange rate. Keep in mind there may be a local Thai bank fee assessed for withdrawing monies (about 1.00USD per transaction). The caveat is that with Wells Fargo, the maximum you can withdraw per day is $310USD.

If you’re interested you can check out this article on using your ATM/debit/credit card for foriegn exchange.

So bottom line - does using a debit card with the maximum leverage to get local currency from an ATM to buy get you a better bang for your dollar than Traveler’s checks? In my opinion, it’s about the same. On my upcoming trip to Thailand, I will probably carry mostly traveler’s checks; in addition I will bring along some cash and also use my Wells Fargo debit card to cover all bases. Why put all your eggs in one basket?

During my years of traveling around the world, I have always carried most of my monies in the form of traveler’s checks as it offers some degree protection in case they are lost or stolen. Hypothetically, if you file a report of lost or stolen traveler’s checks and you have kept the receipts and have documented your actual usage, then the issuing company is supposed to reimburse you post haste. However while doing some research on the internet, I have come across many reports of travelers who have experienced difficulties in terms of actually getting reimbursed in an expedient manner. Sometimes the poor traveler may have to wait several days or more before getting reimbursed. Worse yet, I have heard of scenarios where some people don’t get their reimbursement until after they’ve returned home from their vacation.
Now what kind of vacation is that - without having a bankroll to enjoy oneself? Does not sound like much fun at all! In this scenario, hopefully the traveler has a backup plan - like using a credit card to make purchases or getting a cash advance on the credit card, while he waits for his reimbursement.

In any case, while traveler’s checks usually get you a slightly better exchange rate than cash, there is a service fee deducted by the currency exchange bureau or the bank when they cash it for you. In addition, US banks will assess a service fee of up to 2% when buying traveler’s checks. As an example if you buy 2000USD in traveler’s checks, the bank will charge you 40USD

Given the additional expense of buying traveler’s cheques, the difficulties of getting reimbursed if lost or stolen and the hassles of running around trying to find a currency exchange bureau or bank with the best possible exchange rate, what are the alternatives? To be continued…

While I was staying in San Gerardo de Dota, a small village in the mountains of Costa Rica at about 7.000 feet above sea level, I came across a very interesting but rather ungainly looking plant with small golden-yellow flowers that seemed very common in the area. This plant was seen hugging the banks of the river which flowed near Trogon Lodge; in addition, while driving on the steep and winding road which leads back to the Pan American highway, this mystery plant was quite abundant on the hillsides along the roadside. Funny, I don’t recall seeing this plant anywhere else in Costa Rica. Can someone help me identify this mystery plant?

By the way, San Gerardo de Dota is located near Cerro de la Muerte (Death Mountain), about 2 ½ hours southeast of San Jose and is a famous locale for the sighting of the resplendent quetzal.